Redwood National School
The Parents Association of the school are holding their annual fundraiser, a Buffet Dance on Sat, 27th April 2013 at 9.30 pm in the clubhouse, Lorrha. Music by Pat & Richie. All are welcome to attend, and tickets are available on the door.

Congratulations to Redwood NS who won first prize in children's category in Borrisokane parade on Easter Sunday. The children planned, designed, and painted the float themselves and braved the bad weather to pull it all off! Well deserved!!
Portumna GAALotto: Numbers 5, 18, 25, 27. No Jackpot winner and 3 match 3's were Trevor Moran, Muirna Goode & Martin Madden. Jackpot is now €13,600. Weekly lotto can be purchased on line at www.locallotto.ie. Annual Lotto now due.

U-16: Well done to the U16's on a great win over Cappatagle sunday. Portumna 4-15 Cappatagle 1-6.

GAA Nursery Programme: GAA Nursery programme for 4 1/2 - 6 year old Boys & Girls will take place this Tuesday 23rd in Community School Gym from 5.30-6.30pm. Looking forward to seeing you all there.

Heritage Inchicronan are pleased to announce that Slógadh Eachtaí 2013: Inse Chrónáin will take place on Saturday 20th April at the Community Centre, Crusheen, Co. Clare. Registration begins at 9.15am. The Theme for 2013 is Sharing Awareness. Following on from the success of the Slógadh Eachtaí Cillíní Díoma – Liathdroim in 2012, we are delighted to welcome you to the 8th Aughty Gathering which returns to Crusheen after a seven year journey around the Aughties.

We are honoured that Michael Starrett, Chief Executive of the Heritage Council, will open Slógadh Eachtaí 2013 with a keynote talk entitled Our Irish Landscape – Sharing Knowledge and Understanding Place. We can confirm that Tim Collins will speak of his research on the Traditional Music, Song and Dance of Sliabh Aughty. 'Ardán/Platform' takes place in the afternoon and will consist of short presentations by community organisations and invited guests. More details to follow shortly. A focus on the soundscape of the region takes place on Friday night (19th April) with a singers session in the village of Ballinruan which starts at 9.00pm in Hassett's Bar. Slógadh Eachtaí 2013: Inse Chrónáin will finish with a celebration of the music and musicians, performed in Fogerty's Bar, and The Highway, Crusheen, commencing from around 5pm (20th April).

The Aughty Earth Day Gathering is organised each year in a different location by a local group. The event was previously held in Crusheen, Kilchreest/Castledaly, Woodford, Tuamgraney, Gort, and Lough Graney in 2011. Slógadh Eachtaí 2012: Cillíní Díoma – Liathdroim, took place at the Leitrim Community Centre, Leitrim, Loughrea.

The day is informal and provides a forum to bring people together. Everyone is welcome to attend and to share their knowledge and interest in the heritage of the Sliabh Aughty. Admission is Free.

2013 Darkness into Light Galway Event
Joan Freeman, founder and CEO of suicide crisis centre Pieta House, was in the Radisson Blu Hotel in Galway this afternoon (Monday, 8th April) to launch the 2013 Darkness into Light Galway event supported by Electric Ireland. Galway is one of 20 locations this year to host Darkness into Light, a unique 5km fundraising walk/run which begins in darkness at 4.00am and ends as dawn is breaking. Taking place on Saturday 11th May, this year's event will get underway at Knocknacarra GAA Club and organisers are hoping for a turnout of several thousand people from all across the county. The route will go along the promenade in Salthill and wind back to Knocknacarra GAA Club where teas and coffees will be provided to warm up participants.

"Last year's Darkness into Light event in Galway was one of the biggest in the country, and I know we can grow it even more this year," said Joan Freeman of Pieta House. "Back in 2011 Galway was one of the original counties outside of Dublin to come on board for Darkness into Light and the support over the past few years has been incredible. I'd like to say a huge thank-you to our hardworking committee, all our volunteers and everyone who has taken part in Darkness into Light Galway in previous years. This year I'm delighted to say that we also have the support of Electric Ireland who are helping us to expand and bring Darkness into Light into every corner of Ireland," she said.

Registration costs €25 and is available online now at dil.pieta.ie. All money raised goes to Pieta House whose free-of-charge counselling service is highly dependent on public donations and fundraising events. Following two years of fundraising efforts across the West, Pieta House will open a centre in Tuam this year to serve the western region.

The Engine Room Fitness & Wellbeing Centre
We have Start-Up circuit classes on Tuesday & Thursday's @ 6pm. These classes are suitable for the beginner of any age who wants to start a new exercise regime or for the Over 50's as it is a low impact & a medium intensity circuit. For more information contact Sarah on 087-2117262 or email: info@engineroomportumna.ie or follow us on Facebook for class updates.

Portumna Golf Club
Preparations are well under way for the centenary celebrations at Portumna Golf Club. The club hosted a very successful fashion show in March and those who attended had a very enjoyable night. The ladies club wish to thank all of the businesses that had their collections modeled – Guna Deas & Monet from Loughrea and Ladies Day, All Occasions & Cul Sports from Portumna. Thanks also to Andrea Parry who showed her beautiful range of head pieces. A very successful Progressive 25 card game took place over a number of evenings in February and March and the committee wish to thank all who supported the event.

The club held its first ladies and gents Centenary Medal competition this weekend and this was very well supported. Congratulations to both winners Philip Harte & Lily Graydon who played excellent golf in difficult weather conditions to secure this beautiful medal. Presentation of these prizes is scheduled for Sunday 5th May. Four further Centenary Medal competitions will be held for the gents while the ladies will have two more opportunities to win this unique prize.

The Centenary book in nearing completion and will be launched on Friday 5th July. The Committee are inviting patrons to have their names included in this unique club publication. This can be done by subscribing €50 towards the cost of its production. In addition to being listed in the book you will receive an invitation to the launch night and receive a signed copy of the book. If you would like to be associated with the publication in this way, please call to or telephone the clubhouse at 090 9741059 for further details. Closing date for payment of patrons subscription is Sunday, 28th April.

This is the final month of the very popular Open Three Ball Team competition at the Club with the grand final taking place on Saturday 4th May. Two teams qualify each month with at least one being a visiting team. Birr Golf Shop and Driving Range sponsor this competition in association with Taylormade. Prizes to the value of €5,000.

Special Mass for Children
We wish to invite all baptized children attending St. Brigid's Primary School Portumna to a special mass of consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on Sunday 21st April at 11am mass. With the support of the Bishop and priests of the diocese Mrs. Marie Burke and Fr. Warner will visit the school during the week to explain what the consecration mean. An invitation will be sent to the parents of each child. During the mass of consecration each child will receive a medal and chain and a prayer card. It is hoped that the children will be enabled to renew together their act of consecration at the 11am mass on the first Sunday of each month.

Coffee Morning in aid of Western Alzheimers at Portumna Country Market
In Portumna Town Hall, on Friday April 26th, from 9 a.m. – 12 noon, please support.

Hair for Charity
Aoife O Brien daughter of Lisa and Kenneth O Brien had 13 inches cut off her hair and has donated it to the Repunzal Foundation Charity, where they make wigs for children who have lost their hair due to illness. Lorraine's Hair Salon, Portumna had the task in measuring, cutting and sending the hair to the foundation.

Crochet Workshop
Pop up workshop with Patricia and Wiltrud for crochet fishermans net as part of shorelines arts festival in Portumna Library on Monday 22nd april @ 6.30 to 8.30. Bring along your crochet hooks.

Portumna Players Present 'The Plough and the Stars'
Portumna Players will stage Sean O'Casey's The Plough and the Stars on Thursday 25th, Friday 26th and Sunday 28th April. The curtain rises at 8pm. This is regarded as one of O'Casey's greatest plays. It is part of the Dublin trilogy, the other two being Juno and the Paycock and Shadow of a Gunman. It is the O'Casey play which tackles the greatest Irish theme, the fight for freedom. The first two acts take place in November 1915, looking forward to the liberation of Ireland. The last two acts are set during the Easter Rising, in April 1916. Declen Kelly directs the play. Declen has appeared in previous productions with the Portumna Players including Bernard Farrell's Canaries.

International Earth Day
International Earth Day Monday April 22nd. This is the day each year when we are invited to think about our relationship with nature and with Earth. Some ideas of what we might like to do on that day are: spend some quiet time outdoors listening, looking and feeling; plant a native tree; plant flowers/shrubs for butterflies and bees; resolve to shop local and Irish and begin to make provisions for your rainwater roof harvesting.

Killimor GAA
Last weeks lotto numbers were 7, 16, 22 and 27. The jackpot was €10,100. Last weeks 5 lucky dip winners(€20) were Michael Winters, Dermot Donohue, Aggy Callinan, Tommy Glynn and The Kirwan Clan. Next week's jackpot is €10,200 which will be held in Duffy's.

South East Galway Archaeological and Historical Society
South East Galway Archaeological and Historical Society hosts a lecture by Dr Bernadette Cunningham, entitled; 'English countess; Irish earl: the social world of Frances, countess of Clanricard, 1567-1632' on Tuesday 23rd of April in Donie O'Mearas, Portumna at 8.30pm. Dr Cunningham has published extensively on sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Irish history. She is Deputy Librarian at the Royal Irish Academy, Dublin. Bernadette is no stranger to South East Galway as she has lectured to this society on a previous occasion and has contributed to a quite a large number of locally held seminars and conferences examining aspects of the history of this area.

The Ormond Cineplex Nenagh - Movie Times
Programme for Fri 19th to Thurs 25th March